Waves are generated by wind passing over the surface of water such as sea. As long as the waves propagate slower than the wind speed just above the waves, there is an energy transfer from the wind to the waves. Waves in oceans and lakes have great potential as an alternative energy source. Wave energy is clean, renewable, and vastly available. The estimated amount of wave energy available in U.S. alone is 2,100 terawatt-hours per year, about one fourth of annual U.S. energy imports. To make wave energy useful, wave energy is transformed into other energy forms, usually electric energy.
A wave farm, either offshore or nearshore, is a collection of machines in the same location and used for the generation of wave power electricity. Prior inventions for generating power from waves have provided apparatuses that often include a floating device, a gearing assembly, and an electric generating assembly. The floating device is connected to the gearing assembly such that when waves push the floating device the vertical motion of waves is converted into rotational motion of the gearing assembly. The gearing assembly is connected to the electric generating assembly such that the rotation of the gearing assembly drives the electric generating assembly to generate electric energy.
However, these apparatuses usually have three limitations. First, they are too fragile to use in real wave conditions. Wave directions are usually unpredictable. Variations of wave direction will cause unpredictable motion of the gearing assembly, which will result in extra wear and even breakage of the gearing assembly. Second, these apparatuses are inefficient in converting wave energy into electric energy. A substantial energy loss occurs each time the entire floating assembly is uplifted by wave action, leaving less energy for driving the gearing assembly and eventually being converted into electric energy. Also, these apparatuses are designed under the assumption of a fixed wave height and water level, resulting in inefficiency during the times when these assumptions are inevitably incorrect. Third, these apparatuses are prone to damage under severe wave and weather conditions from lack of protective means. Since the floating device is mechanically coupled with the gearing assembly, huge waves may damage the whole apparatus by causing the floating device to collide with the gearing assembly.
Therefore, there exists a need for new wave energy power generating system capable of overcoming the aforementioned limitations. Advantageously, the present invention provides a solution that can meet such a need. The intelligent control wave energy power generating system according to the present invention comprises a set of novel devices, assemblies, and an intelligent control system to convert wave energy into electric energy. It provides a method to convert wave energy into electric energy efficiently, safely, and practically under various wave and weather conditions. It also includes a mechanism to protect itself under severe wave and weather conditions.